


Of Kings and Princes

by Huntress69



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: AU 1x12 "Last Refuge", First Kiss, Humor, M/M, Mick Rory Is Awesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-19
Updated: 2016-05-19
Packaged: 2018-06-09 10:57:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6903022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Huntress69/pseuds/Huntress69
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Seven year old Leo Snart is brought aboard and Mick is charged with looking after him (who else would be worthy?); Mick tells young Leo a fairy tale; Young Sara and young Mick are flaky.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Kings and Princes

**Author's Note:**

> 1) Beta by Lynda, as always. She puts up with my eccentricities as a fanfic author.  
> 2) Apparently 1x12 is still eating away at my brain.  
> 3) Yes, due to Amy Pemberton doing the voice, I refer once again to Gideon as female.  
> 4) Pick the child actor of your choice for young Leonard Snart. I had Alex Ferris (Young Sam Winchester in SPN 1x18) in my head when I wrote it.

**Disclaimer:** I'm going to be Mrs. Mick Rory in my next life. Or Mrs. Leonard Snart. Or Mrs. Rory Snart. I'm sure they have no problem with polygamy. And if you believe that, the psychiatrist is in - five cents please.

**~~~~~~~~~~**

To protect themselves from _The Pilgrim_ Rip thought it was wise to retrieve their younger selves from the past.

They had grabbed 18 year old Mick Rory and 19 year old Sara Lance, but then the idea was brought up that taking their infant selves would be better.

Martin was taken from his mother after he was born in a car and Jax was walked out of a hospital.

Last was two day old Len.

The team arrived in 1972...and to no infant Leonard Snart.

Kendra and Sara returned empty-handed.

"He wasn't there," Kendra told them.

"Apparently your mother," Sara explained to Len, "decided to leave the hospital early."

"Wonderful," Rip sat down. "We can't take an infant from its mother, so we shall have to get Mister Snart at a different time."

"When?" Mick asked.

"I don't know!" Rip shouted. "Pick a year!"

"1979 was a good year for wine," Ray grinned.

"Fine! Gideon, take us to 1979!"

They ended up with seven year old Leo Snart; he may not have been an infant but he wouldn't be any trouble at that age. The boy was a little nervous but thought the Waverider was cool, so he went along. And since Leo would (eventually) be returned to the same time he had left, nobody would know he was gone.

Mick walked the young boy into the cargo bay and introduced him to his younger self and young Sara Lance.

"You better not lose my future criminal partner, otherwise you're in trouble." He snarled at them. "Comprende?"

Young Mick and young Sara weren't paying attention to Mick; they just gave him twin nods on auto-pilot. 

**~~~~~~~~~~**

Two hours later....

"Where is he?" Mick demanded to know.

"In the kitchen," young Mick answered. 

"He said he was hungry so we took him for a walk and found food," young Sara explained. "We told you where we left him."

"Well he's not there now," Sara said.

"Why didn't you stay with him?" Mick growled and bared his teeth.

"Oh please," young Sara snorted, "you have nothing on my father when he's pissed off."

"Or my parole officer," young Mick added. "We gave him a bowl of cereal - some shit called 'Fruit Brutes' - and he promised he'd stay where he was."

"Besides, you told us to stay here," young Sara sighed heavily.

"So we came back here and stayed," young Mick nodded. "And no, I haven't set anything on fire - yet."

Mick and Sara had to stop themselves from throttling their younger selves and left. 

Once they were left alone, young Mick snuck around to the back of a crate. "Ready for beer?" He brought out the case she had found in the kitchen.

"Oh yeah," young Sara nodded. "Mick, you think the kid will be okay?"

"I know he will," the teenage boy smiled. "Even though he's a little kid, Len was always able to take care of himself; he's a tough little bastard." He laughed a bit. "And I mean that in the nicest possible way." 

"I thought he said his name was Leo."

"He did," Mick replied, "and he also told us his last name - Snart. There's only one Len Snart and I met him in juvie a couple of years back; he went by 'Leo' then - before I convinced him 'Len' was better."

"How could you have done that?" She was confused. "He's seven years old. And if he's not okay, we're going to get killed."

"Not going to happen, Sara. They won't harm us at all." Mick popped a cap off a bottle for her, and then one for himself. "You haven't figured it out yet, have you?"

"What?"

"I've been paying close attention to what people have been saying and also," he added, "the names they've been calling each other." The teenager lowered his voice. "Now listen very carefully...."

**~~~~~~~~~~**

After 20 minutes of searching, Kendra finally got the idea to ask Gideon to locate young Leo - nobody had thought of that.

He was in a room the team had dubbed their "Rec Room".

Jax and Martin got there first and found the little boy trying to shoot pool.

Len and Mick turned up a few minutes later.

The moment Leo saw the small group he tried to flee.

"Leo!" Len grabbed him and tried to hold onto him. "It's okay; nobody is going to hurt you."

Leo was trying his damndest to get loose.

"You didn't do anything wrong," Len told him.

"Perhaps we should sedate him," Martin said.

Three pairs of eyes looked at him as if he was an idiot.

"It was only a suggestion," Martin responded with a small shrug.

Jax got a look at Leo's face. "The kid's terrified."

"He is, isn't he?" Len had a thousand thoughts but they all came back to one thing. "Leo," he said calmly, "Lewis isn't here; he's far away and he can't hurt you now."

Leo's whole body suddenly went slack.

"That's it, Leo; you're okay." 

"Daddy's not here?"

"No, he's not." 

"I thought...." Leo glomped onto Len.

"I know." Len held him close. "You're safe." He held Leo for a few minutes until the boy was fully calm and released the iron grip he had on Len.

"Leonard," Rip's voice came over the comm; he was being careful not to use his last name, "I need you."

"Now, Rip? I sort of have my hands full."

"Your younger sibling is destroying the room she was placed in." Rip sounded exasperated. "Can you please come and calm her down?"

"Maybe I should go," Mick suggested.

"No, I will." Len stood Leo on his feet. "Leo, do you trust me?"

"We got the same name," Leo said softly.

"Yes, we do at that."

"I trust you." There was also something about Len that was familiar and Leo was at ease.

"I'm glad. Now I have to do something and my friend Mick here," he pointed at Mick, "is going to stay with you. Do you remember him?"

"He bringed me here."

"That's right," Len clarified for him. "He'll take good care of you."

"Leonard, maybe Mister Rory is not the best choice," Martin said. "He can be a bit...intimidating."

Len couldn't help sighing.

Mick smiled at Leo - a genuine smile, the kind he had always reserved for Len alone. "So, Leo, you want ice cream?"

Even at seven Leo was suspicious. "If you got my favorite flavor."

"Pistachio, right?" Mick was of course more than aware of Len's favorite **everything**. "With butterscotch syrup."

"How did you know that?" Leo was surprised and slid his hand into Mick's.

"Lucky guess." Mick turned to Martin with his usual impassive expression. "Too many underestimate me." He turned back to Leo, smile back in place. "Maybe we can find some whipped cream, too."

"To the kitchen!" Leo laughed. 

"Nobody knows me better than Mick," Len told the professor and Jax. "And if anything happens, there's no safer place for Leo than with my partner."

"Rory would lay down his life for that kid, wouldn't he?" Jax asked, already knowing the answer.

"With absolutely **no** hesitation." Len watched Leo and Mick head down the corridor. "I can't trust that anyone else aboard this ship would." He headed for the upper deck and Lisa, hoping that by the time he got there she hadn't actually hurt anyone.

**~~~~~~~~~~**

"It's good." Leo was eating his ice cream straight from the container.

Mick was just happy that they all kept real ice cream (and various toppings) and not the sugar-free shit that seemed so prevalent; he hadn't bothered with a bowl - he just gave Leo the container and poured the syrup right on top. 

"Thanks, Mick." Leo was smiling at him again. "You're pretty rad for an old guy."

He got a grunt and a nod in response.

"No whipped cream?"

Mick searched and shook his head.

"Do you know my mom and dad?"

"Never met your mom, but I met your dad," Mick had to fight to keep calm, "a couple of times." 

Leo's spoon paused halfway to his mouth. "Mom's okay, but Dad...."

"We don't need to talk about them."

Leo just nodded and returned to his snack.

Mick heard voices and was greeted to the sight of young Mick and young Sara entering the kitchen.

"You found Leo!" Young Sara was gleeful.

"Hey, Leo!" Young Mick grinned at him. "Good to see you again."

"You're Mick!" Young Sara stared at the adult. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Why'd you shave your head?" Young Mick laughed. "I look kinda weird."

Mick stood up and glared at both of them, smelling the beer. "You've been drinking."

"Ooh, he's a smart one." Young Sara slapped him on the chest. "Damn, Micky, you're going to grow up and be built like a tank."

Young Mick punched his older self in the shoulder. "Hot damn! And I'm going to grow a few more inches!"

The two began to giggle, while Leo's head was whipping back and forth, grinning at them all. 

"Gideon," Mick asked, "where is Sara Lance?"

"Sara Lance is right beside you, Mister Rory."

"That voice is so cool." Young Sara looked around. "Yo! Gideon! Can we get some more beer?"

"What brand would you like, Ms. Lance?"

"NO!" Mick yelled. "They don't get more beer!" He took a breath. "Where is older Sara Lance?"

"She is with Rip Hunter and Kendra Saunders," Gideon advised him.

"I need a word with her." Mick waited a moment. "Hey, Lance, your other self is in the kitchen with me."

"Where's **your** other self?" Sara asked.

"Michael Philip Rory, the good-looking one with nice hair - and a better attitude," the teen laughed again, "checking in!"

"How do they know who we are?" Rip asked.

"We're not stupid!" Young Mick shot back.

"Yeah!" Young Sara added. "So shut your face!"

"They've been drinking beer," Mick advised Sara.

"I swear, Mick," Sara sounded angry, "if your teenage self...."

"It was **my** idea, old woman," young Sara giggled again.

"Old? Who are you calling old?!" Sara huffed. "I'm coming down there right now and kicking both your asses!"

"Gotta catch us first!" Young Sara laughed, taking young Mick by the hand, the two fleeing the room.

"They're gone, Lance," Mick said, "and I have Leo to take care of."

"I'll find them, Mick," Sara told him. "You just keep your eyes on Leo."

Mick turned around...and didn't see Leo. "Fuck! Where the hell did he go?" 

"What was that, Mick?" Sara asked.

"Nothing; comm off." Mick peered out into the corridor and saw a streak rounding the corner. "LEO!"

"Too slow!" The little boy laughed.

"We'll see." Mick sprinted after him and it took a few seconds for him to pull in front of Leo. "Back to the kitchen." He reached down and grabbed Leo but the boy slipped from his grasp and crawled between his legs, stood up, blew a raspberry at him and flew down the corridor. A few seconds later Mick heard Ray shouting.

"You can't go in there!"

"Leggo of me!"

"OW!"

Mick came around another corner to see Ray holding his ankle, jumping up and down.

"He kicked me!" Ray told him. 

"Yeah?" Mick grinned. "He gets an extra cookie for that." He spotted Leo again and this time their little game was over. When Mick next caught up to him, he stood there, his eyes daring Leo to make another break for it.

Of course Leo did, trying the same tactic to slide between Mick's legs and when Mick grabbed him Leo twisted out of his grip again and prepared to make another run for it.

Mick dove for him; Leo scooted out of the way and Mick body-slammed onto the floor.

Leo panicked and dropped down beside him. "Hurt?" He shook Mick's arm. "Need a doctor?"

"I'm good," Mick assured him, although he did wince.

"Okie-dokey." Leo was back on his feet and gone again.

Len entered the corridor and found Mick on the floor. "Aren't you supposed to be watching...me?"

Mick picked himself up. "The kid's quicker than I remember you being; he got away from me."

"You can't even watch a seven year old?" Len 'tsk'd'. 

"How's Lisa?"

"Calmed down, watching Super Bowl 63, so all is well there." Len glanced around. "Gideon, where is my younger self?"

"Young Mister Snart is currently in corridor 1-3-7."

Len and Mick headed in that direction, crossing to the other side of the ship; it took them 10 minutes.

"How did he get here so quick?" Len wondered aloud.

Once they arrived Gideon said, "He is now in a storage area in corridor 1-2-4."

Len and Mick went down a level and after five minutes reached the storage area. Then they heard Gideon again.

"Never mind, he is no longer there. Young Mister Snart has made it to corridor 1-4-5 and is currently in Mister Jackson's room."

Len and Mick went up two levels and had to cross back to the other side again.

"My apologies, he is now in corridor 1-4-9 and has entered Mister Palmer's room." Gideon seemed flustered.

"I'm tired, Mick."

"I told you he was fast, Len."

Gideon than announced, "Young Mister Snart is now in corridor 1-5-1 and has just entered Mister Rory's room."

"Lock him in," Len told her, "before my legs fall off."

"Yes, Mister Snart," she replied.

"Gettin' old, Len?"

"Fuck you, Mick."

The two men headed to Mick's room.

"What's he doing?" Len asked.

Gideon responded with, "He is opening a box of matches."

"SHIT!" 

Len and Mick shot down the hall and heard a shriek from the room.

They found Leo staring at two still burning matches on the floor; he was holding his hand and crying. "Hurts." 

Mick picked up the box and waved it in the boy's face. "DON'T TOUCH MATCHES!" He shouted.

Leo ran into the corner, covering himself with his hands in a defensive posture. 

Len knelt down. "It's okay, Leo; Mick won't hit you."

Leo eyed Mick with trepidation.

"I won't." Mick knelt down as well, giving Leo a relaxed smile (which was so rarely used it tended to frighten people) and put his hand out. "I promise."

Leo showed Mick his own hand, which was burned. "I need a doctor."

"We got better than a doctor." Mick picked him up. "We have Gideon." 

"Is that the voice I heard in the kitchen?" Leo asked as he sniffled, wrapping his arms around Mick's neck.

"Yeah, it is, kid." Mick rubbed his back. "She's good at healing up flesh wounds."

Leo had no concept of those words. "What's a flesh wound?"

"Boo-boo's," Len explained.

"Boo-boo's, Len?"

"Flesh wounds, Mick?"

**~~~~~~~~~~**

While Gideon fixed the burn on Leo's hand, Len and Mick stood nearby.

"That's twice I heard him use the words 'hurt' and 'doctor'." Even though it wasn't showing, Mick was filled with rage. "Lewis?"

"He was already smacking me around at seven." Len made a horrible face.

"What?" 

"You reek," Len told his partner. "When's the last time you changed your clothes?"

"Sorry, mom, I've been busy with other things." Mick looked at Len like he was crazy. "More important than laundry."

Sara's voice came over the comm. "Mick?"

"What?"

"I found them," Sara said. "They got hold of more beer and were drinking when I caught them."

"Where are they now?" Mick asked.

"I locked them in the storage bay and they won't get out again...I hope," she told him. "How's things at your end?"

"Fine. If we need anything, we'll let you know." Mick then added, "Gideon, shut the comm off."

"Who's she talking about?" Len asked him.

"Our younger selves."

"I hope they didn't drink my Corona's," Len wondered aloud. "I'll catch up with you shortly and do you think you can avoid losing little me again?"

"Where you goin', Len?"

"There's something I need to take care of." Len headed out of the medical bay and just disappeared down the corridor. 

Mick watched Leo sit up and jump off the exam table. "Is he good to go, Gideon?"

"He is fine now, Mister Rory."

Leo looked around. "Thank you, Doctor Gideon, wherever you are."

Gideon responded with, "I am not...."

"Just say you're welcome," Mick ordered.

"You are welcome, young Mister Snart." Gideon paused. "Mister Rory, the child not only needs rest, I believe he is sleepy."

Leo rubbed his eyes. "'m not tired."

"I can see that." Mick looked Leo over; not much had changed. Even now when Len was tired he fought sleep. "C'mon, kid."

"O-kay." Leo put his arms up and Mick picked him up again, feeling Leo's head flop onto his shoulder. 

**~~~~~~~~~~**

Len was in Mick's room, specifically the bathroom, when he heard the main door slide open. He saw Mick enter with Leo in his arms and watched as his partner gently laid his younger self on the bed. 

"It's late and Gideon said you should rest," Mick told the boy, pulling off his sneakers. "So go to sleep, Leo, and if you're good, tomorrow I'll let you have pizza and beer...I mean soda...for breakfast."

"Don't I gotta brush my teeth?"

"I'll let ya skip it tonight." Mick smiled at him again. "Just don't tell anybody."

"You're nice, Mick."

"Only to you, kid, and keep it a secret." Mick winked at him. "I got a rep as a hardass and I need to keep it up." If his heart ever warmed, it was at that one moment in time; Leo had gotten under his thick skin. Not that that was much of a surprise to Mick - he'd always had a soft spot for Len. But that was a feeling he had always kept tamped down.

Len smiled himself as he heard Mick; his partner didn't sound like his usual self - Mick sounded happy. He hadn't heard that tone of voice from Mick since before they had left 2016.

"I want a story," Leo said.

"I don't do fuc...stories." Mick told him. He didn't like to talk, let alone tell any kind of story.

"Can I **please** have a story, Mick?" Leo gave him puppy eyes. "Please?"

"Will you shut up and go to sleep if I tell you one?"

"Uh-huh."

"Fine." Mick sat on the edge of the bed and had to think. "I'll tell you about the Hastings armored car job...no, never mind." There were two dead crew members, a stabbing and a stolen police car. "The National City Bank...no, that won't work either." Four hostages, Len shot in the shoulder, a dead security guard, and the bank set ablaze. 

Mick was at a loss. Any story he could tell was totally inappropriate for a child.

"I like fairy tales."

Len peeked into the main room, trying to get a look at Mick, plus he wanted to hear Mick tell a story. He loved Mick's voice and even though Len would never admit it, it soothed him.

"A fairy tale, huh? We'll ask Gideon for one." 

"Can you make one up?" Leo asked. 

"Make one up? Leo, I don't think...."

"My mom sometimes makes up stories and they're the best kind." Leo's eyes suddenly fell. "I mean, when she's not drinking."

'Do it, Mick,' Len was almost willing his partner, 'they **were** the best kind when she was sober.'

"I'll try, Leo, but I can't promise it'll be good."

Leo raised his head. "I just know it'll be cool!"

Mick had of course heard fairy tales as a kid; how hard could it be to make one up? And as for talking, this was Len - a smaller version, but still. Mick didn't speak to people if he could avoid it (he tended to grunt and add in a few words here and there) but he **always** talked to Len - really talked; he could do the same for Leo.

Now, how did fairy tales start?

"Once upon a time, in the land of...Central, there was a king named...named...Michael." Mick was pleased with himself. "He was the greatest King the land had ever seen. He was strong and brave, and nobody - and I mean **nobody** \- ever messed with him or they got the shit kicked out of them." 

'Nice, Mick,' Len thought, 'great language for a fairy tale.'

"Then one day, along came, uh, Prince...Lenny." Mick nodded; this was perfect. "Now Prince Lenny had a big mouth and he never knew when to shut it, and that mouth always got him into trouble. But King...Michael," Mick grew smug, "he pulled the Prince out of quite a few jams."

"Where did they meet?"

"They met in...the dungeon of doom." Mick thought that was as good a description of juvie as any. "It was a terrible and evil place, and Prince Lenny had been sent there by his fath...by mistake."

'Good save, Mick.' Len was so far impressed.

"What about King Michael?" 

"King Michael was there by mistake also." Mick was having fun now. "The King had never been in trouble and he actually had a halo."

"Like an angel?" Leo asked, enthralled by the story already.

"Exactly like that, because the King was innocent of any wrongdoing; he was framed."

Len bit the inside of his cheek to stave off his laughter. 

"Ooh." Leo leaned forward. "Were they in the dungeon for a long time?"

"Long enough." Mick put his hand up. "You gonna let me tell the story?"

Leo nodded furiously.

"Okay then." Mick continued. "One day they got parol...freed, because the cops realized they were dipshits and had fu...screwed up." Yeah, that sounded good to Mick. "Neither the King nor the Prince had been read their Miranda Rights."

"Their what?"

"They talked and didn't get a lawyer," Mick explained. "Always ask for a lawyer, kid."

Len covered his mouth with both his hands before his laughter was heard; he was enjoying it as much as his younger self, except Leo found it exciting, while Len found it humorous.

Mick had no clue where to go from here and it took him a minute. "Now over time, King Michael and Prince Lenny became friends." He took another moment. "They did lots of stuff together."

"Like what?" Leo asked. "Did they catch bad guys and save the world?"

"As a matter of fact they did." Mick figured there was nothing wrong with embellishment. "They saved lots of money and jewels from...places." He wondered about bad guys and finally came up with, "The King and Prince Lenny always took care of any bad guys in their crew who...misbehaved...and didn't listen."

"How did they take care of the bad guys in their crew?" 

This was a tough one for Mick. "They...." He finally got it. "They sent them on a permanent vacation, to somewhere very warm."

"Like Florida?"

"Oh no," Mick bit back his own laughter, "somewhere much further south, where it was always fiery hot and they would always be reminded of the wicked things they had done."

Len now had a towel stuffed in his mouth and he was biting down on it.

"Now King Michael found out he had a...thing...for Prince Lenny." Mick's words were just flowing now. "The King liked him a lot, but even though they were friends Prince Lenny was oblivious."

"Obli...obli...." Leo tried to say the world.

"That means he didn't know. Not that he was stupid, he just...." Mick paused. "Anyways, the King, he tried everything to get the Prince to like him in a..." he needed words for a seven year old, "...special way."

'What the hell is he going on about?' Len wondered. 'Special way?'

"The King hung out with him, they drank beer together, even robbed..." Mick stopped again and took a breath, "...robbed from the rich and gave to the poor, but nothing worked."

"Like Robin Hood!" Leo was more excited now.

"Exactly," Mick said, "because the King and the Prince were good guys, especially King Michael," he sounded pompous, "who still had his halo and was bathed in the pure glow of innocence."

Len buried his head in a pile of clothes to smother his laughter.

"Did the King try to use _The Force_ to get the Prince to like him?" Leo asked with wide eyes. 

**That** made Mick laugh. "He didn't know how to use it, but the King did get the Star Wars DVD for the Prince the day it was released." This was a happy memory. "It wasn't even a bootleg; it was the real deal and King Michael picked it up for him at a very reasonable price - free."

"What's a DVD?"

"It's a sort of film." Mick had no way to explain it. "They watched the movie and the King, when the moment was right, he leaned over to kiss the Prince, but it didn't happen." Mick shook his head. "The Prince thought the King had too much to drink and laughed at him."

"That's not very nice."

"The Prince didn't mean it, so it was okay," Mick said. "And one day, they were offered a job in...a galaxy far, far away," that was the truth - sort of, "and they went. King Michael thought that maybe Prince Lenny would notice him now."

"Now you look sad, Mick." Leo frowned. "Did something bad happen to the King?"

"King Michael made a few mistakes - big ones - he totally fucked up." Mick paused, averting his eyes from Leo for a moment before he began again. "And he went away for a long time."

"Did he go South like the other bad guys?"

"Yeah, he did, Leo, but he came back, thanks to Prince Lenny and the...others." Mick became silent.

Len could only stare at his partner's face, which, to his experienced eyes, showed pain. And that was a sight Len had never seen on Mick before.

"Mick? Is there more?" 

"Oh yeah, Leo, there is." Mick thought for another minute. "The King nearly lost Prince Lenny's friendship, and they had a big fight and beat each other senseless." 

"Did they make up?"

"Sort of, but King Michael realized the truth, that they would never be together as - more than friends." Mick had to pause again to take a breath. "Prince Lenny had taken a liking to...Lady Sara and he spent lots of time in her room. He was banging her instead of the King."

"Banging?"

"Bein' overly friendly with." Mick scowled. "The King finally came to the conclusion that he was going to be alone for the rest of his life."

"I'd be the King's friend," Leo said.

"I know you would, kid." Mick patted him on the cheek. "But it was okay, because the King, he had his fire and didn't need anything else. He loved the flames, the way they climbed up the side of a building, the colors blending together," he sighed, "yellow, orange, red and sometimes blue and maybe white." Mick narrowed his eyes. "And if the King got really pissed, like when somebody tried to cheat him out of his cut from a job, he could pour gasoline on them and use his favorite Zippo...."

"I think that's enough for now." Len came out of the washroom.

"What were you doing in there?" Mick asked, almost accusing.

"Gathering your laundry," Len explained, "because if I didn't you'd never have clean clothes and Mick, you really do stink." He cast a glance at Leo. "I'm surprised he didn't notice."

"What's a Zippo?" Leo asked.

"It's not important." Len shook his head at Mick, his way of chastising his partner. "No playing with fire."

"I like the freezer and cold stuff."

"Good, Leo," Len nodded, "you keep right on loving the cold."

"Can I have more of the story?" Leo asked.

"I'm fresh out of fairy tales," Mick shrugged. "Sorry, Leo."

"What about you?" Leo asked Len.

"He doesn't have any either," Mick answered for Len.

"Oh, but I do," Len nodded. 

"You do?" Mick and Leo both asked at the same time.

"I do at that." Len nudged Mick aside and sat down, brushing Leo's hair out of his eyes. "King..." he snickered, "...Michael," Len smirked at Mick, "was, on occasion, a little dense and never paid attention to the handsome, charming and effervescent Prince Lenny."

"Effervescent? Hah!" Mick laughed out loud.

"What's effer...whatever that word is," Leo wanted to know.

"That means he was perfect," Len explained, "and the Prince was also smart, you could even call him a genius, but he was **also** kind of dumb, just like the King."

"Kings aren't dumb," Leo stated.

"No, they aren't," Mick agreed, a little offended.

"Okay, I'll give you that." Len took a moment before he went on with **his** story. "King Michael, he got things wrong. The reason the Prince didn't kiss him the night they watched Star Wars, was because the King drank lots of beer. If the Prince knew the King was serious," Len turned his gaze to Mick, "he would have kissed him back."

"He would've?" Mick now looked confused.

Len glared at him. "In a heartbeat."

"Oh." Mick just nodded.

"And as for spending time with...Lady Sara...." Len continued, "Prince Lenny found out she was a decent Gin Rummy player, and the Prince enjoyed the game, and he had nobody else to play with."

"Just Gin?" Mick asked, wanting clarification.

"Just Gin," Len nodded. "And the Prince ended up owing Lady Sara $32,587, one kidney, a pint of blood and a promise to kidnap her favorite movie star and leave the woman tie..." Len paused, "in a place of Lady Sara's choosing."

"What happened to the King and the Prince?" Leo asked, leaning forward in anticipation of more.

"Eventually," Len began again, "King Michael found out the truth and he and Prince Lenny made up."

"Did they kiss and live happily ever after?" Leo wanted to know.

Len smiled at Mick. "They made up," he shrugged, "but as for the rest, I don't know; the story ends there." He pulled the blanket up over Leo. "Sleep now?"

"Yeah, okay." Leo agreed. "Do I still get pizza for breakfast?"

"You do." Len told him, ruffling Leo's hair as he got to his feet. "And I'm...." He stopped mid-sentence and rested his forehead against Leo's. "You're a good kid."

"I can sleep by myself." Leo smiled. "And I won't touch anything I'm not supposed to."

"We know you won't." Len gave him a knowing nod. "Mick and I will be across the hall if you need anything."

"Okay." Leo jumped across the bed to give Mick a hug. "Good night, Mick, and thanks for the story. You're really cool."

"I'm glad you liked it, kid." Mick stood up and joined Len, the door sliding open. "We'll be right in there," he pointed.

Leo slid back under the blanket and turned over.

Mick gave him one last glance before he closed the door and the two went across to Len's room.

**~~~~~~~~~~**

"You tell a pretty good fairy tale, Mick - for a hardass." Len was grinning at him. "King Michael and a halo and pure glow of innocence?"

Mick was quiet again and he took a seat at the table. He folded his arms and put his head down.

"You're not going to sleep there all night, are you?" Len took his shoes and socks off and stood beside Mick, lowering his head so he could see Mick's face. "You'll be sore and stiff come morning." He heard a sound from Mick. "I see we're back to grunting."

"It was just a story."

"I don't know about that." Len slid his arms up Mick's back and over his shoulders. "We could try the kissing part."

"Not interested," Mick muttered.

Len placed a kiss to Mick's nape. "Come to bed with me, Mick."

"Don't, Len." Mick shrugged him off. "Don't."

Len didn't say another word. He got changed quickly, pulling on a pair of sweatpants and a tee, went to wash up and when he came out Mick hadn't moved. He slipped under the sheet and turned over, closing his eyes.

Mick sat at the table for a while, until he heard Len's soft snoring from the bed. He headed into Len's bathroom for a quick shower and when he came out he rifled Len's drawers for some sweatpants he could wear, and then he stared at the bed for a moment, trying to make a decision.

Len was a light sleeper and felt the bed dip and an arm snaking around his waist. He placed his hand over Mick's and brought his back flush up to Mick's chest. Len turned his head and placed his lips to Mick's, murmuring, "Your highness," before he licked his way into Mick's mouth, the two experiencing their first kiss - which went on for a good 45 seconds before Len turned over and they were chest to chest. "I won't ask for anything and I won't push; we'll just see where this takes us."

Mick felt around in the dark, palmed Len's face and went for another kiss, moaning as he used his tongue to map out every inch of Len's mouth. "Good night, Lenny."

Len buried his face in Mick's neck. "Good night, Mick."

Yeah, they both thought, maybe it was about damn time they got the happily ever after they both deserved.

**FIN**


End file.
